What does the idle-detection planner do?
It checks the settings that decide what a tracker reports as idle, before the reports reach a manager. It does not cost the idle time. It makes sure the idle time is real.
Three settings make an idle
- Engine on: an ignition wire, the supply voltage, or engine speed from CAN.
- Not moving: GNSS speed below a threshold.
- Long enough: the stop lasts longer than a minimum duration.
A wrong choice in any of the three produces idles that never happened, or hides idles that did.
Inputs you need
| Input | Where to find it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Engine-on source | The device configuration and the install record | Ask the installer which wire was used: IGN or ACC. |
| Voltages or rpm | A multimeter at the device, or CAN data | Measure off, then running with lights and AC on. |
| Parked GNSS speed | Records of a parked vehicle | Use the highest value you see in ten minutes. |
| Stop profile | Trip records of a few typical days | Count the stops of each kind and note the shortest and longest. |
How it is calculated
Each stop type has a count per vehicle-day and a shortest and a longest length. The planner assumes the lengths are spread evenly between the two. A stop is reported when it lasts at least the minimum duration T and no exception removes it. A reported stop of a class that should not count is a false idle. A stop that should count but ends before T is a missed idle.
Battery rest voltages follow Battery University BU-903 (about 12.6 V for a charged 12 V battery at rest). Running voltages depend on the alternator and the load, so measure them.
Source (read 2026-10-31): Battery University BU-903
Worked example
With the example stop profile and a 5 min minimum, queues of 1 to 8 min pass the minimum 3 times in 7: 6 queues a day give 2.6 false idles. The PTO job adds one more, so 3.6 of 6.6 reported idles a day are false. At 8 min the queues drop out and only 0.3 loading-bay idles are missed: 1.3 wrong idles a day, the fewest in the sweep.
Reading the results
- Signals: a red result means the source itself produces false idles. Fix it before tuning durations.
- Stop profile: the false share is the part of the idle report that is traffic or work, not waste.
- Settings sheet: hand it to the installer with the configuration file for each vehicle type.
Assumptions and limits
Stop lengths are assumed to be spread evenly, which real traffic is not. The results are estimates to compare settings, not a forecast. Device behavior differs by model and firmware: confirm the settings on one vehicle with a test drive before you roll them out. The planner does not compute fuel or money.